Morning Blue Hour Abstract

— Posted inPhotography — 2 min read
Photo: Morning Blue Hour Abstract – Copyright 2022 Frank J Casella

With this latest photograph Morning Blue Hour Abstract – Pine tree silhouettes illuminated by the blue hour sunrise in the America Midwest of Illinois. The Blue Hour is at twilight, when the Sun is quite far below the horizon, coloring the sky deep blue. As for abstract, its definition is just as subjective as its name implies.

Abstract images are conceived or imagined outside of ‘reality’. They can encompass a huge variety of subject matter, take us out of our comfort zone, make us question what we see, or invite us to enter another realm.

If you look, then, you will see less abstract works in my own artwork than you may find other subjects. This is because when I create an abstract work it is not the original intention, rather later on the work lends itself to being a tweak away from reality.

I share my art photography on the Vivaldi blog platform, as well as on MeWe social network: Vivaldi has better privacy and security, and a focus on being visual with image properties and is a great tool to publish and share your ideas; MeWe has a Privacy Bill of Rights like no other, plus there are many groups and features (like a personal cloud and photostream) on MeWe that are designed for photography.

But more about abstract and my artwork. A true definition, that I learned in college, for abstract photography, sometimes called non-objective, experimental or conceptual photography, is a means of depicting a visual image that does not have an immediate association with the object world and that has been created through the use of photographic equipment, processes or materials.

I am mostly a person of reality, as those who know me best will tell you. Though I do have a great appreciation for people who are abstract thinkers, as much as I do for abstract artworks.

I hope that what I have said inspires you to discover abstract art photography, and the thoughtfulness that it evokes for yourself.

It’s Only One Day

— Posted inFamily, Health & Fitness, Personal, Photography, Technology — 1 min read
Photo: It’s Only One Day – An early Spring sunset with silhouetted trees – Copyright 2015 Frank J Casella. (a soft effect is added to this version)

There’s many things in life that we feel are important.

Yet, the day we’re on our death bed will reveal if we’ve been right.

What is most important, I have learned, is to each day take care of unfinished business, and correct all that went wrong yesterday.

Because you never know what tomorrow will bring. On your death bed there are usually no second chances.

What is important to you today then, wont be tomorrow. In the age of the world, it’s only one day.

How To Make Our Time Constructive

— Posted inPersonal — 2 min read
Photo: Lines In The Morning Sky – Copyright 2019 Frank J Casella.

Our culture today is filled with much activity and busyness. How can we make our time constructive, so that life doesn’t pass before us too fast?

I wasn’t planning to share a sky picture today, but I found this picture in my archives from one morning when I went out with Buddy the dog at sunrise and this is what we found. It seems we get great sky formations over the lake in the wetlands preserve behind my house. The layers here reminds me of all the activity in our culture, and the layers that we work through in life.

To start with, the treadmill of social media feeds has us occupied with Likes and comments that just ends up being just wasted activity. What I mean is it’s said that if you refrain from this activity long enough, and replace it with doing something else off-line, that you will wonder why you spent so much time on that treadmill.

We also get involved in busy activity with others based on our world view, and sometimes not so productive either. Not often do I see others ask how does God see this situation. We do most things based on how we see it, myself included at times. Such as I was on email with a business colleague, and suggested when she said how nice the weather is looking through the window, to spend that time with her own thoughts.

Afterward I got to thinking how much does her employer allow her to do this without staying on top of her work … yet it is the activity and busyness without ‘stealing time’ for a moment that keeps us from being at our full productivity.

Back to the picture, from the time of the first light until the sun rose up into the clouds and all the beautiful color was gone, was about thirty minutes. Yet watching this I asked myself how many of us make this short time often to enjoy it? When we do life becomes more constructive. Because without it we are just living a life instead of making a difference, starting with ourselves.

So after reading this, I hope you take the time to ask yourself often “is what I’m doing constructive to make a difference, or busy activity of just living a life”.

Sunrise Cloud Reflection – Orton Effect

— Posted inPersonal, Photography, Software, Technology — 1 min read
Photo: Sunrise Cloud Reflection – Orton – The morning sun dances on the winter storm clouds above the silhouetted tree line in Illinois – USA.. (Orton Effect, is a photography technique which blends two completely different photos of the same scene, resulting in a distinctive mix of high and low detail areas within the same photo.). Nature Landscape Art Photograph Copyright 2022 Frank J Casella 

The Chaos of Alias Email

— Posted inFamily, Health & Fitness, Personal, Photography, Privacy, Productivity, Technology — 2 min read
Photo: The Walter Payton Center located at Halas Hall in Lake Forest IL, is the indoor practice facility used by The Chicago Bears Football Club. Copyright 2013 Frank J Casella.

I don’t know if it is a fad or becoming a trend, but the use of an alias email address it seems to be popular of late.

The word alias = a false name used to conceal one’s identity; an assumed name.

I know there are people who do important work where they need to remain anonymous to protect their life, but that I don’t think is most of us.

Growing up, my parents always taught us kids that if you can’t put your name on it then it doesn’t mean anything.

This is why my online accounts use some form of my name.

As much as most of us have one street address and one telephone number, I see the importance of having two email addresses: one for public use, and the other for private.

But then if the private gets into the wrong hands it easily then becomes public. …

So, then we come back full circle. I’ve been there, and it drives me nuts. … It’s like a dog chasing after its tail.

Just do your best to keep it simple, and learn to live with it.

Playgrounds

— Posted inFamily, Health & Fitness, Personal, Photography, Productivity — 1 min read
Photo: Playgrounds – Copyright 2011 Frank J Casella.

I’ve heard it said that the world is our playground. Though, I’ve noticed that many times we can learn from a playground about how to live in the world.

The other day as I was taking the dog for a walk by the local playground, I couldn’t help but notice a young brother and sister being corrected by their parent about sharing a swing.

The older child said something to tease the young, causing the younger to slug the older. The parent corrected the younger about making a bad decision, yet didn’t correct the older, and asking the two to apologize to each other.

This incident made me wonder how these two children will behave when they grow up, and what the world would be like without forgiveness.

Then the answer came to just look around me. How many people have shared their life experiences with me, where there wouldn’t be an issue if they’d jut say “I’m Sorry” and forgive.

So, it seems that saying “I’m Sorry” is a key to making life easier as we play in the playground of life.

Legacy – How Do You Want To Be Remembered

— Posted inFamily, Health & Fitness, Personal, Photography — 2 min read
Legacy – How do you want to be remembered – Color Nature Photograph Copyright 2019 Frank J Casella

These are the words that came across my computer this week, and what I’ve been pondering since.

Many of us go through life taking for granted the short time we have on earth to make our mark, I suspect. Others of us make profound statements with our life. Most of us, I believe, carry on family for another generation.

My life mission is to share hope and God’s love in the world. That doesn’t seem to be profound on the surface of things but, if you think about it, many people today live without hope and don’t know or see how God works in our lives. People need examples of goodness and hope.

It would be great for many of us if our legacy where to build a skyscraper, or a great work of art, or invent a disease curing drug, or like Thomas Edison with the light bulb. But the more noble legacy is to get others, especially our family, to Heaven. That can have an impact three generations deep!

So, after we die there may be things we did in this world that may be remembered, but what is more important I think is the people who help others because of how we have helped them. Our name may not be on it, but it will be in God’s book of Christian service.

Bird Dancing On The Line

— Posted inFamily, Health & Fitness, Personal, Photography — 1 min read
Photo: Bird Dancing on the Line – Animal Photograph Copyright 2008 Frank J Casella.

A Pigeon scurries back and forth over the yellow safety line on a train platform in Chicago, Illinois – USA

In life, there are times when we need to draw the line if nothing else than for our own health and safety.

Whether it’s the noise of the news media, or the internet in general, or politics, it’s important to know where we stand or we’ll fall for anything.

We build strong character and peace of mind when we stay on our side of the line that we draw for ourselves.